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Every species you might land.
What bites when
Sea fishing seasons in Sussex
A month-by-month guide to the fishing off Brighton. Nature does not read calendars, so treat it as a guide and ask the skipper what is on.
In short
Spring: plaice, bass, rays. Summer: tope, mackerel, bream, smoothhound, sole. Autumn: bass, squid, whiting. Winter: cod and pollack. Conger and wreck fish can be caught all year.
Season by season
Spring
Plaice come on the sandbanks, bass return to the reefs from March, and rays begin to show.
Summer
The peak. Tope offshore, mackerel shoals, black bream on wrecks, smoothhound, and evening sole.
Autumn
Bass fishing remains strong, with squid on jigs, gurnard and the first cod and whiting.
Winter
Cod and pollack over rough ground and wrecks. Short days and settled-weather windows.
Month by month
A guide only. Ratings of Good or Best describe typical years.
| Month | Best targets | Also possible |
|---|---|---|
| January | Cod, pollack | Whiting, pout, conger |
| February | Cod, pollack | Whiting, conger |
| March | Cod, plaice, early bass | Pollack, rays |
| April | Plaice, bass | Pollack, rays, wrasse |
| May | Plaice, bass, rays | Mackerel, gurnard |
| June | Tope, bass, mackerel | Plaice, smoothhound, rays |
| July | Tope, bream, smoothhound | Mackerel, bass, sole |
| August | Tope, black bream, bass | Wrasse, gurnard, conger |
| September | Bass, bream, mackerel | Squid, gurnard, rays |
| October | Bass, whiting, squid | Pollack, plaice |
| November | Cod, pollack, whiting | Conger, pouting |
| December | Cod, pollack | Whiting, conger |
Sea fish guide
The fish in this calendar
Each fish in the seasons table has a page in our sea fish guide, with its record and the months our sources give.
Bass Dicentrarchus labrax
Black bream Spondyliosoma cantharus
Cod Gadus morhua
Pollack Pollachius pollachius
Whiting Merlangius merlangus
Pouting Trisopterus luscus
Conger eel Conger conger
Plaice Pleuronectes platessa
Dover sole Solea solea
Tope Galeorhinus galeus
Common smoothhound Mustelus mustelus
Mackerel Scomber scombrus
Red gurnard Chelidonichthys cuculus
Ballan wrasse Labrus bergylta
= caught off the Sussex coast, according to the sources in our sea fish reference guide.
Rules
Bass: keeping fish
Our bass policy: from 1 December to 1 March it is catch and release. Between March and December passengers may keep a maximum of 2 bass between the 42 cm minimum size and our own 48 cm maximum size policy, to protect stocks. Recreational bass rules change, so the skipper confirms the position before you fish.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month for boat fishing in Brighton?
Late spring to early autumn gives the widest choice of species, with summer the peak for tope, bream, plaice and mackerel. Winter is the time for cod and pollack.
Does the weather matter more than the season?
Yes. Settled weather and the right tide often beat the calendar. Offshore trips need settled conditions and the skipper decides on the day.
Keep reading
More to explore
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10-hour shark fishing trip, tackle included, fish returned.
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Captain Ant on the day.
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